11:02, 17 January 2026

Russia Breaks Into the Global Top Three for Autonomous Transport Tech

After a year of large-scale testing of driverless trucks and digital transport systems, Russia says it has become one of the world’s top three countries in autonomous vehicle development and plans to accelerate that push in 2026.

A Turning Point for Transport AI

Russia’s interest in artificial intelligence surged in 2025, particularly in transportation. Autonomous trucks were tested on public highways, preparations began for a mandatory shift to electronic transport documents, and new digital services rolled out for passengers. Russian transport companies say they are not planning to slow down and intend to expand the use of advanced technologies in 2026.

Autonomous Trucks on Public Roads

As reported by EnergoLend.Info, 95 autonomous trucks traveled a combined 9.5 million kilometers on Russian roads in 2025. In April, driverless freight vehicles were deployed on the Central Ring Road around Moscow. One autonomous truck developed by Navio completed a route from St. Petersburg to Kazan in 24 hours, which is roughly twice as fast as a conventional truck with a human driver.

“In 2025, the transport sector made a significant step forward in digital transformation. Today, we are among the world’s top three leaders in the level of autonomous technology development,” said Andrey Nikitin, head of the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation.

“At the same time, work continues on introducing electronic passenger and freight services, including at the international level. This phased digital transformation will help create a unified system in which different modes of transport operate as parts of one whole. It will reduce costs and make both freight and passenger travel faster and more convenient,” Nikitin said.

The Russian government has extended an experimental legal regime for highly automated vehicles through the end of 2028. The updated rules allow such vehicles to operate both with a safety driver in the cab and without a driver at all. In parallel, a federal law on highly automated transport systems is being drafted to establish a legal framework for the large-scale rollout of autonomous vehicles on public roads.

Digital transformation is expanding across all modes of transport. At Pulkovo Airport in St. Petersburg, a driverless baggage tug is currently being tested. Autonomous ferries have been operating on Russia’s rivers and seas for several years. The vessels Marshal Rokossovsky and General Chernyakhovsky have transported nearly 2 million tons of cargo, carried almost 2,000 passengers, and logged a total of 214,000 nautical miles.

In cities, the use of delivery and cleaning robots continues to grow. By the end of 2027, Russia plans to deploy 20,000 additional fourth-generation ground delivery robots. Passenger services are also evolving, including geolocation-based fare payments on buses, biometric access in metro systems, and digital processing of discounted tickets via mobile applications.

Airports are testing a domestically developed baggage-search system known as “BAGS Search,” which has already helped 400,000 passengers locate their luggage. Russia is also preparing for a mandatory transition to electronic transport documents starting on September 1, 2026. More than 27 million such documents have already been issued through a state-run digital platform.

“A Unified Methodological Platform”

“This document creates a unified methodological platform and serves as a practical guide for all market participants,” said Polina Davydova, director of the Association Digital Transport and Logistics, commenting on the release of the so-called “White Book,” which outlines approaches to deploying AI in the transport sector.

Starting in February 2026, Russia plans to launch cargo transportation across Eurasian Economic Union member states. Shipments will be tracked using navigation seals. A memorandum has also been signed with the International Coordinating Council on Trans-Eurasian Transportation to develop shared digital standards. Officials say the foundation for future development will be the creation of a National Digital Transport and Logistics Platform.

Transport and logistics